The Concept

We are taking a single "Full SBS" file (which contains both eyes side-by-side in one wide frame) and slicing it down the middle. Because your source might be a cinema-style "Ultrawide" format (like 3840x800), we must also add black bars (padding) to the top and bottom to reach the mandatory Blu-ray height of 1080 pixels.

Figure 1: Starting out with a full side-by-side (FSBS) video as seen in VLC.

The Command

Run this in your terminal:

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -filter_complex "[0:v]split=2[l_raw][r_raw]; \
            [l_raw]crop=1920:ih:0:0,pad=1920:1080:0:(1080-ih)/2:black[leftout]; \
            [r_raw]crop=1920:ih:1920:0,pad=1920:1080:0:(1080-ih)/2:black[rightout]" \
            -map "[leftout]" -c:v libx264 -crf 16 -preset slow -r 23.976 -pix_fmt yuv420p left_eye.mkv \
            -map "[rightout]" -c:v libx264 -crf 16 -preset slow -r 23.976 -pix_fmt yuv420p right_eye.mkv

You want to use the command in 1 line when using command prompt instead:

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -filter_complex "[0:v]split=2[l_raw][r_raw];[l_raw]crop=1920:ih:0:0,pad=1920:1080:0:(1080-ih)/2:black[leftout];[r_raw]crop=1920:ih:1920:0,pad=1920:1080:0:(1080-ih)/2:black[rightout]" -map "[leftout]" -c:v libx264 -crf 16 -preset slow -r 23.976 -vsync cfr -pix_fmt yuv420p left_eye.mkv -map "[rightout]" -c:v libx264 -crf 16 -preset slow -r 23.976 -vsync cfr -pix_fmt yuv420p right_eye.mkv

Figure 2: Running a ffmpeg in a command prompt window (cmd.exe).

Command Breakdown

Why this is an important step:

Timing: Splitting both eyes in one command eliminates "drift" between eyes and ensures an exact match of frames for both eyes. We end up with 2 outputted videos. One for the left eye view and one for the right eye view. Both have aspect ratios that blu ray standards expect.

Figure 3: We end up with two slightly different videos that have a blu ray aspect ratio.

Part A: The MakeMKV Pull

Extract the data off the physical disc without changing a single bit of quality. Now it's time to pop in your blu ray disc or mount your .iso file, then proceed.

1. Open the Disc: Launch MakeMKV and click the Optical Drive icon.
2. Select the Title: Find the largest Title (main movie).
3. Uncheck Video: You handled this in Step 1.
4. Select Audio: Check high-definition tracks (DTS-HD MA, TrueHD, etc.).
5. Output: Click "Make MKV" to create your backup.mkv.

Figure 2: Selecting only the HD audio tracks in MakeMKV.

Part B: Extracting the Audio with FFmpeg

Professional authoring tools are extremely picky—they cannot read an MKV file directly. We need to perform "surgery" to pull out the raw audio data. Before we do that, we must identify exactly which audio track we want to grab.

1. Preliminary: Find your Track Number

Movies often have multiple audio tracks (different languages or commentary). We need to find the Stream Index of the one you want. Run this command:

ffprobe -v error -show_streams -select_streams a backup.mkv

Look at the results and find the language you need. The "Index" number determines your -map setting:

• If your track is the first one listed: Use -map 0:a:0
• If your track is the second one listed: Use -map 0:a:1
• (And so on...)

2. Run the Extraction Command

Choose the command below that matches the type of audio you selected in MakeMKV. If your track index wasn't 0, remember to update the -map part!

ffmpeg -i backup.mkv -map 0:a:0 -c copy movie.mlp -map 0:a:0 -c copy movie.ac3

ffmpeg -i backup.mkv -map 0:a:0 -c copy movie.dts

ffmpeg -i backup.mkv -map 0:a:0 -c copy movie.ec3

ffmpeg -i backup.mkv -map 0:a:0 -c copy movie.ac3

Technical Cheat Sheet

Part C: The MUI Generator (The "Scenarist Bridge")

Once you have extracted your files, you need to prepare the high-definition tracks. While standard AC3 files can be imported into Scenarist directly, Lossless HD formats (TrueHD/Atmos and DTS-HD MA) must be processed through the MUI Generator to create a "VES" (Video Elementary Stream) asset.

Part A: Identifying Subtitle Tracks

Before extracting, you need to find which Stream Index belongs to the subtitles you want (e.g., English, forced subtitles, etc.). Use ffprobe to scan your MakeMKV backup:

ffprobe -v error -show_streams -select_streams s backup.mkv

Look for the index number and the TAG:language:

• If the subtitles you want are the first subtitle stream listed: Use -map 0:s:0
• If they are the second: Use -map 0:s:1 (and so on).

Part B: Extracting to .SUP Format

Once you have the index, we pull the raw bitstream out of the MKV container using the .sup extension—the standard raw format for Blu-ray subtitles.

The Command:

ffmpeg -i backup.mkv -map 0:s:0 -c copy movie_subs.sup

(Note: Replace 0:s:0 with the index you found in Part A).

Part C: Converting for Scenarist (The XML/PNG Method)

Scenarist cannot import a .sup file directly. It requires a series of images (PNGs) and a timing script (XML). To do this, we use BDSup2Sub++.

1. Load the Asset: Open your movie_subs.sup file in BDSup2Sub++.
2. Verify Frame Rate: Upon loading, ensure the "Source FPS" matches your video (usually 23.976). If it doesn't, change the "Output FPS" to match.
3. Check for Delay: If your subtitles need to be offset (e.g., if the movie starts 2 seconds late), you can apply a global delay in the Edit menu before exporting.
4. Set Output Format: In the "Output Format" dropdown menu, select XML/PNG.
5. Export: Go to File > Export. Create a dedicated folder for this specific subtitle track (e.g., /SUBS_ENGLISH/).

The Result: The folder will now be filled with hundreds of PNG images and one .xml file containing all timing and positioning data.

Part A: The Primary Source (MakeMKV Backup)

The most efficient way to get Scenarist-ready timecodes is using ffprobe on the MKV you created in Step 2. This file contains the precise timestamps from the original Blu-ray.

Run this command to see the chapters:

ffprobe -i backup.mkv -print_format csv -show_chapters -loglevel error

Part B: The Backup Source (SBS Video)

If you don't have the original disc backup, you can extract the chapters from your Full SBS MKV. Note that if the SBS was edited or trimmed, these chapters will be more accurate to your current video length than the original disc data would be.

Run this command:

ffprobe -i input_sbs.mkv -print_format csv -show_chapters -loglevel error

Part C: Formatting for the Scenarist CSV

Regardless of which source you used, Scenarist demands a very specific single-line format. It will not accept a vertical list or a standard text file. You must assemble the output into a .csv file following these rules:

1. The Mandatory Header

Your CSV file must start with the frame rate and the clock type. For a standard 3D Blu-ray, this is:

2. The Timecode Formatting

Scenarist requires the format HH:MM:SS:FF (Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames).

• The Millisecond Trap: Many tools output HH:MM:SS.ms (milliseconds). You must replace that last decimal with a colon and a frame number (00-23).
• The First Chapter: You must always start the list with 00:00:00:00.

3. Final Assembly

Combine your header and your timestamps into one continuous line separated by commas. There should be no spaces or line breaks.

23.976,NonDrop,00:00:00:00,00:13:48:15,00:23:36:03,00:31:34:18,00:40:02:01,00:48:27:19

Part A: The 3D Bitrate Calculator

3D Blu-ray encoding is a balancing act. Use the tool below to calculate your Target Bitrate for CineVision and the TS Rates for Scenarist.

Part B: CineVision Settings (Truth vs. Myths)

Many legacy PDF guides contain advice rooted in the software instabilities of the early 2010s. Below is the breakdown of modern "Truths" versus "Bad Advice," followed by the optimized settings list.

1. The Truth (What to Follow)

• Scan Mode & Pixel Format: You must set Scan Mode to Progressive and Pixel Format to YV12. 3D Blu-rays are inherently progressive; encoding as interlaced will cause a critical failure during Scenarist import.
Figure 1: The Scan mode and Pixel format are chosen when selecting your input files.
• GOP Structure: Setting B-frames to 3 and Reference Frames to 3 is the gold standard. This provides the best compression while staying within hardware playback limits.
Figure 2: The "Picture structure" tab uses 3 B-frame pyramid structure
• Motion Search: Setting this to Exhaustive is essential for quality. It is the slowest mode, but it ensures the encoder accurately maps the similarities between the Left and Right eyes to save bitrate.
Figure 3: CineVision's "Motion search" tab with all modes set to exhaustive.
Bitrate Buffering: Never max out your bitrate to the theoretical limit. Always leave a safety margin to prevent "Buffer Underflow" errors in the final muxing stage.
Figure 4: Choosing your bitrates should be done carefully. Use the calculator above to determine a good number.

2. The "Bad" (What to Ignore)

• The "No Pyramid B-frames" Myth: Some tutorials claim you should disable "Pyramid B-frame structure." This is incorrect for modern, stable environments. Pyramid B-frames (hierarchical B-frames) significantly improve compression efficiency and should remain ON.
• It is common to see a "Buffer Underflow" error during the final muxing stage in Scenarist. Many users assume they need to go back to CineVision (advanced settings) to "increase the buffer," but this is a mistake. This happens due to a fault TSRecordingRate in Scenarist. You should leave both buffer sizes at 30000kbits in CineVision!
Figure 5: CineVision's "view buffer sizes" should stay untouched, as should the rest on this tab.

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3. The "Perfect" CineVision Settings List

Use these specific settings to ensure a 100% compliant encode that imports perfectly into Scenarist:

Tab	Setting	Recommended Value
Video	Scan Mode / Pixel Format	Progressive / YV12
Bit Rate	Type / Max Bitrate	VBR (2-Pass) / 40,000 kbps (Total)
Picture Structure	B-Frames / B-Pyramid	3 / ON
Motion Search	Reference Frames / Mode	4 / Exhaustive
Advanced	GOP Size	24 (or "Auto")

Part C: The "Turbo Boost" (AviSynth Frameserving)

Sometimes CineVision is "picky" with modern .mkv files. It might fail or become extremely slow (0.1 fps). To fix this, we use AviSynth.

Think of AviSynth as a "Translator": It sits between your MKV file and CineVision. It prepares the video and feeds it to the encoder in a "pre-chewed" format that CineVision understands perfectly.

1. The Requirements

• Install AviSynth+ (32-bit/x86 version): Note: The 64-bit version will not work with CineVision!
• FFMS2 Plugin: Download the 32-bit FFMS2 plugin and place ffms2.dll in your AviSynth plugins folder:
  C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth+\plugins\

2. Creating the "Magic" Script

Open Notepad, paste the text below, and save the file as left_eye.avs (make sure it doesn't end in .txt!) in the same folder as your video.

                # Opens your MKV file without relying on buggy Windows decoders
                FFVideoSource("left_eye_3D.mkv")

                # Forces the video to exact Blu-ray speed (23.976 fps)
                AssumeFPS(24000, 1001)

                # Converts the colorspace to YV12 (The format CineVision requires)
                ConvertToYV12()
            

(Repeat this for your right eye and name it right_eye.avs)

Figure 6: Use a text editor like notepad to create your .avs files.

3. Why are we doing this?

• CineVision is legacy software Because we are working with old 32bit software, we require aviSynth to be the guy in between for compatability.
• Full Speed: Instead of waiting days for an encode, using AviSynth often boosts the speed, finishing the task in just a few hours.
• Stability: It prevents CineVision from crashing halfway through because of a "dropped frame" inside the MKV container.

4. Loading into CineVision

Instead of selecting your .mkv files into CineVision, simply choose your .avs scripts.

Expert Tip: If FFVideoSource gives you an error, make sure the filename inside the quotes matches your MKV filename exactly (including capitals).
Figure 7: Selecting your input files.

5. Understanding the transport rate limits

Before you hit the "Start button" in CineVision, you need to understand the Transport Rate. Think of the Blu-ray player as a pipe: it can only handle a certain amount of data per second.

The 64.8 Mbps Speed Limit: The total transport rate of a 3D Blu-ray (the combined bitrate of your Video + all Audio tracks + Subtitles) cannot exceed 64.8 Mbps. The Balancing Act: If you are only including one English DTS-HD track, you can afford a very high video bitrate. The Warning: If you are adding five different languages or multiple lossless tracks, those audio streams "eat" into your speed limit. If the total data flow gets too high, Scenarist will throw a Buffer Underflow error because the "pipe" is full. The Strategy: Use the calculator from Part A to ensure your settings are safe. It’s better to have a slightly lower bitrate than a disc that crashes your player.

6. Encoding and Finalzing

Once you have imported your Left and Right eye views and applied the "Perfect Settings" we discussed, first, tick the box that says "Finalize". It's located in the bottom "Session" winwdow. After that it’s time to encode. Start the Encode: Go to File > Encode > Session. CineVision will now begin the heavy lifting of creating your 3D MVC streams. It's important to do the Encoding and Finalizing at once, so really don't forget to tick that box beforehand. CineVision may throw an error at the end, or even crash. Don't worry, your outputted files should be fine.

Figure 8: In the bottom left "Session" window there's a small tickbox called "Finalize". Don't forget to check it.
Figure 9: Cinevision is going to take its time encoding 2 passes. At the end it might throw an error or even crash.

7. The Cleanup

CineVision creates a lot of temporary "junk" files during the process. To keep your project folder organized, you only need to keep two files for the next step: The Base View: Look for the file ending in .mvc (This is your Left Eye). The Dependent View: Look for the file ending in _d.mvc (This is your Right Eye data). Everything else in that folder can be deleted. You now have the "Master Video Assets" ready for the final authoring stage.

Figure 10: The only files to be kept in the destination folder at this point are the .mvc and _d.mvc files.